Just a Little Reimbursement
by Lessa3
Summary: A side story to "The Hostage Situations". You might want to read it first. Did you ever wonder what happened to Mulch after his yelling session with Root? Did he really go back to being legitimate?


AN (Author's note): We wrote this awhile ago, and I have finally decided to post it.  

ASN (Author's Sister's note): Took ya long enough.  

AN: I was busy!  *Pouts*

ASN: Busy, my foot.  You completely forgot about it until today.  

AN: Did not!  

ASN: *Raises eyebrow*

AN: Um…*Grins sheepishly*  _Anyway_…moving right along, this is a side story to Artemis Fowl and the Hostage Situations.  

ASN: *Hangs head*  We're writing fanfics of our fanfics.  Someone provide us with a life, _please_!! 

AN: Ignore her.  In case anyone of you wondered what happened to Mulch…well, here's what happened.  

ASN: Enjoy, and you might to read Hostage Situations first, cause everything will make much more sense if you do.  

**Just a Little Reimbursement **

The room was dead silent.  No one was near.  Foaly was in the Operations Booth, talking to his computers.  Fowl, the Butlers, Simone and Holly had returned to Fowl Manor while they awaited the Council's decision.  Trouble and Grub had headed home.  

            There was one person left Commander Root needed to take care of. 

            "Come on, Julius." Mulch Diggums said pleadingly.  "I put a lot of work into this mission you sent me on, and it may cost me a lot in the long run.  The very _least_ you can do is show a little gratitude."

            "I am, Diggums." Root growled.  "That's the only reason I haven't kicked you out of here and into the street yet."  

            "Not that kind of gratitude, the _gold_ kind of gratitude." Mulch complained.  

            Root's face turned a nasty shade of red.  "I don't know where you get your attitude.  If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times!  Once a convict, always a convict, dwarf!"

            "Just because I _was_ a criminal doesn't mean I'm a bad person, Julius!"

            "DON'T CALL ME JULIUS!!!"

            Mulch didn't even quiver in the face of the commander's wrath.  "Look, I don't want much.  Just enough to cover what I lost by missing work for the last two days." 

            Root laughed.  That did _not_ bode well.  "I asked your cousin about how much work you would miss, and he informed me that you were 'searching' for work."  

            "Well…" Mulch said slowly, the air taken out of his sails, "It's possible that in these two days, I _could_ have found work.  Perhaps there was a perfect job advertised out there within the last two days.  A job that needed my expertise, a job that would have made me a very happy dwarf for the rest of my life."

"The B'wa Kell aren't hiring any longer." Root muttered.  Mulch ignored him.  

"But since I wasn't looking in the ads for a job, since I was out on a mission with you, out of the kindness of my own heart, remember-" 

Root laughed again.  This time, the laugh was much higher-pitched and considerably more strained.

"-It's possible that perfect job is gone, never to appear again, and I will _never_ be a worthwhile member of society because I missed my chance to achieve happiness.  All because I was helping you and your officers."  Mulch almost looked like he was going to cry.  "The _least_ you can do is reimburse me for the job I might have had." 

The commander was no longer laughing.  Now he was staring at Mulch with a mixture of disbelief and shock on his red face.  "You want me to reimburse you for the job you _might_ have had?" he echoed.  

Mulch nodded.  

Root stalked over to where the dwarf sat.  "Now listen up and listen good, Diggums.  Fowl is not getting paid for _anything_, and he did much more for this operation than you.  Do you know what that means for you?" 

"Um…you don't like Fowl, but you appreciate me?" the dwarf suggested.  

The commander grabbed Mulch by the shoulders and pulled him up until they were nose to nose.  "You…are…not…getting…paid.  I have dealt with you and your criminal activities more than I ever really wanted to.  If I pay you now, all it will do is encourage you to take up crime again.  You might actually think, somewhere in that twisted mind, that if you did get caught later down the road, I would be lenient with you because of this and everything else we were involved in within the past few years."

"If I promise not to think that, how much would you give me?" Mulch interrupted.  Root took a deep breath.  The dwarf cringed. 

"_GET OUT!!!!_"

Mulch pouted and stood.  "Fine, I will."  He marched by the purple commander, than stopped to tap him on the chest.  "One day, Commander, you will regret crushing my dreams like this.  I hope it haunts you at night."  

With that, the dwarf strode down the hall toward the door.  Root watched him go.  Mulch had let up remarkably easily.  Now, where would he go?  Back to his cousin's, perhaps?  

No.  Root knew that dwarf, knew him very well.  Now that Artemis Fowl remembered the fairies, Mulch would stay right on the edge of the law, waiting until Root needed him again.  And Root would need him again.  

Mulch had just reached the outer door.  He laid his hand against the handle, then stopped and grinned at Root.  

With that smile, it all came together.  

Even though he _knew_ it wasn't going to be there, Root searched his chest pocket for his wallet.  "Why you-"

The dwarf darted out the door, laughing.  Root took off down the hall after him, yelling for the closet security guard.  He burst through the door and looked around, searching for Mulch.  

There was no sign of him, but the commander knew he was there somewhere.  "Spread out." he commanded, and the security guards did so.  Once they all disappeared around corners, Root spoke again.  

"All right then.  If that's the way it's going to be…I'll search for you, Mulch.  And I won't stop until you get the prison time you deserve." 

And Root could have sworn he heard an answer on the breeze. 

"You have to catch me first." 


End file.
